Lavish or Lukewarm?
Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished,
one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Luke 11:1
One of my childhood memories is the day mom designated for all the aunties to come over to our farmyard to butcher chickens. Although the task wasn’t pleasant – moving chickens from protest to plucking to freezer ready – it was memorable.
Reflect with me on a most extravagant butchering. When King Solomon, the priests, and all the people dedicated the temple to the LORD, worshiping and giving thanks to the LORD, they offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats (2 Chronicles 7:3-5). That was after the temple dedication. Before it was dedicated Solomon summoned the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to gather about him. Before the priests brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, they sacrificed so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted (2 Chronicles 5:2-7). That’s lavish worship!
The musicians played cymbals, harps and lyres, accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets, and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. They raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever” (2 Chronicles 5:12-13). That’s lavish praise!
King Solomon knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. He said: “O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth – you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way (2 Chronicles 6:14). That’s wholehearted adoration to a lavish God!
How would you describe your prayers? Lavish or lukewarm? Does Jesus’ example and teachings on prayer feel as extreme as this Old Testament sacrifice? Jesus didn’t pray occasionally, He spent the night praying to God (Luke 6:12) and often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16). That’s lavish amounts of time talking and listening to God!
He didn’t just pray for His family or in generalities. He prayed and instructed us to pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44), pray for children (Matthew 19:13), pray that you will not fall into temptation (Mark 14:38), pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:28), and always pray and [do] not give up (Luke 18:1). That’s lavish praying!
Prayer Step
If your prayers need to move from lukewarm to lavish, begin today. Lord, teach me to pray...
Oh, men and women, pray through; pray through!
Do not just begin to pray and pray a little while and
throw up your hands and quit;
but pray and pray and pray until God bends
the heavens and comes down.
Reuben Archer Torrey |
